Dog Days of Summer

 Wikipedia says the Dog Days of Summer  are the hottest sultriest days of the year.  That fits our current weather... here is the best way we have found to pass the time:

Til next time -
Thumper and Lightning

What do you mean it's an eggplant???

Growing vegetables is one of our summer hobbies.  Nothing big, just a couple of rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, bell peppers, and green beans.  Well, this year, gardening had a new challenge.  It's name is Thumper.  Not only do we have to deal with whims of Mother Nature, we have the curiosity of a young dog to add to it. 

One bell pepper plant died early....thanks to frequent watering by Thumper.  Three suspiciously placed doggy paw prints gave him away...only one dog in our house is a lifter, and it's him.  We've had to repair rows where some dog decided to dig.  And now, we have an eggplant thief.  He thought it was a ball.  

Lightning:  What are you doing with that eggplant?  You know mom picks them and cooks them for dinner.

Thumper:  What do you mean it's an eggplant?  It's a ball!  It's round and it rolls when I drop it!

What happened to him?

Today, I sat down when I got home from work to rest a few minutes and spend time with the dogs before cooking dinner.  Thumper sat by me as he usually does (Lightning was hiding upstairs...not sure why, but maybe I should go check...hmmm).  After a few minutes, he stretched out and fell asleep.  I sat, read some of a book, and enjoyed the quiet.  Then he started whimpering and yelping in his sleep, and his legs were twitching, like he was running.  I wondered what he was dreaming.  The noises he made seemed as if they would come from a scared animal.  I wondered if he was remembering the days before he lived with us...and this thought troubled me.  Thumper was definitely mistreated in his past...among other things, his teeth were damaged when we adopted him, he had bare spots where fur is just beginning to grow back, and the vet/organization had evidence that suggested he had been shot at.  Was his dream of something he experienced?  Is that why he sounded scared and upset as he napped?  He has grown into a sweet, affectionate pet.  If he was having a bad dream of his past life, I hope over time good experiences with us will push those memories away and leave him with sweet dreams.  He is a good dog.  Someone really missed out on a sweet, affectionate pet.  And judging by the way he stalks lizards, squirrels, and ducks, he probably would have been a good hunting dog too.  Their loss, our gain.  :)

 

    

Vacation is Over

Well, everyone is back from vacation now.  And everyone is worn out, people and dogs alike.   Disney World was a blast, but being home is even sweeter.  Lightning took back his post (one end of the couch) as soon as he got back home, and Thumper stretched out on the floor with an assortment of toys and a chew bone.  They both seem tired and won't let us out of their sight.

Now that vacation and business trips are over for awhile, it's time to get back to training the dogs.  First up - It's Yer Choice games and the 5 Minute Recall with Thumper.   We'll dig out the agility jumps and get Lightning back "playing" agility again.  Oh, and training for me too.  I've got to get back to a regular exercise routine of some sort.  Any suggestions?  I had been working on the Couch to 5K program, but then it got SO hot.   The boys aren't even fond of taking walks in this heat.  :)

Getting Ready for Vacation

It's been a busy day for the boys.  Morning play time...

followed by bath time.....

I don't like getting wet!  Can I go inside now?  

and packing their stuff for their vacation.  You see, they are going to stay with some dog friends while their people are away.  They don't know this, and watching their treats and toys go into a bag worried them both.  Then Thumper's crate was folded....

Why did you do that?  Am I going back to Petsmart?  I hope not...I'll be good...I'll stop chewing up my bed!

and we discovered that some dog has been chewing up the BOTTOM side of his bed.  Sneaky, sneaky....  :)

Have a Happy 4th of July!